Many of our customers have hundreds or even thousands of desktops to keep up to date. They rely on tools like ZENworks to distribute the very latest GroupWise clients to these desktops and to their users. As part of GroupWise 8.0.2, our Integration Testing Team took some time to determine the best ways to configure, distribute and install on a variety of Windows platforms.

Here are a few pointers...

Windows Client Distribution Using ZENworks

To successfully distribute the GroupWise Windows client using ZENworks, some .msi files must be distributed in advance of the GroupWise software. These .msi files are part of the standard client installation, but they are not successfully installed when you perform a ZENworks silent installation using the /qb or /qn switches. (The /qn switch is used by default.)

For ZENworks 10, the following .msi files must be distributed before the GroupWise client software:

• • wse3.msi

• • mxsml.msi

To successfully distribute the GroupWise Windows client software using ZENworks 10:

1. 1. Create a ZENworks bundle for each .msi file:
      
      
      1. 1. In the ZENworks Control Center, click Bundles, then click New > Bundle.
      
      
      1. 1. Select Windows Bundle, then click Next.
      
      
      1. 1. Select MSI Application, then click Next.
      
      
      1. 1. Specify a name for the bundle such as WSE3, MSXML, or GroupWise Windows Client, then click Next.
      
      
      1. 1. Select the .msi file for each bundle:
            
            
            
            1. 1. In the Upload .msi file for normal install field, browse to and select each .msi file in your GroupWise software distribution directory: \grpwise\software\client\win32
            
            
            1. 1. (Conditional) For the wse3.msi and msxml.msi files, do not select Include all files in and below the directory of this file. or (Conditional) For the groupwise.msi file, select Include all files in and below the directory of this file. This includes all the contents of the win32 subdirectory, which is the GroupWise client software.
            
            
            1. 1. Click OK.
      
      
      
      
      1. 1. Click Next.
      
      
      1. 1. Finish creating each bundle as usual.
      
      
      

1. 1. After you create all three bundles, set the executable security level for each bundle:
      
      
      
      1. 1. Click each bundle name, then click the Actions tab.
      
      
      1. 1. Click the Install tab, then click Install MSI.
      
      
      1. 1. Click More Options.
      
      
      1. 1. Set Executable security level to Run as dynamic administration, then click OK.
      
      
      

1. 1. Assign each bundle to the appropriate GroupWise users.

1. 1. Create a launch schedule for each bundle so that the bundles launch in the following order:
      
      
      
      • • wse3.msi
      
      
      • • msxml.msi
      
      
      • • groupwise.msi
      
      
      
      

ZENworks 7 Desktop Management

For ZENworks 7, the following files must be distributed before the GroupWise client software:

• • dotnetfx.exe (if .NET 2.0 or later is not already installed on workstations)

• • wse3.msi

• • mxsml.msi

To successfully distribute the GroupWise Windows client software using ZENworks 7:

1. 1. Copy the GroupWise client installation directory from the GroupWise software distribution directory: \grpwise\software\client\win32 to a convenient location on the ZENworks server or other network location.

1. 1. Create a NAL Application object for each file:
      
      
      
      
      1. 1. In ConsoleOne, right-click the container where you want to create the NAL Application object, then click New > Object > Application.
      
      
      1. 1. (Conditional) When you are installing dotnetfx.exe, select A simple application, then click Next. or (Conditional) For a .msi file, select An application that has an .MSI file.
      
      
      1. 1. Click Next.
      
      
      1. 1. Specify the path to the file, then click Next.
      
      
      1. 1. Specify the name for the NAL Application object, such as DOTNETFX, WSE3, MSXML, or GroupWise Windows Client, then click Next.
      
      
      1. 1. Finish creating each NAL Application object as usual.
      
      
      

1. 1. (Conditional) When you are installing dotnetfx.exe:
      
      
      
      1. 1. Right-click the DOTNETFX NAL Application object that you created in Step 2.b, then click Properties.
      
      
      1. 1. Click the Run Options tab, then click Application.
      
      
      1. 1. In the Parameters field, specify: /q:a /c:"install /q"
      
      
      1. 1. Click OK.
      
      
      

1. 1. Select Force Cache for each NAL Application object.

1. 1. Assign each NAL Application object to the appropriate GroupWise users.

1. Create a schedule for each NAL Application object so that the applications are installed in the following order:
   
   
   
   • • dotnetfx.exe
   
   
   • • wse3.msi
   
   
   • • msxml.msi
   
   
   • • groupwise.msi
   
   
   

There continue to be challenges as Microsoft introduces and changes their desktop security options and ZENworks is enhanced to accommodate new options and configurations. Novell GroupWise has several dependent components that can also present another layer of difficulty. We will continue to work with Microsoft, the ZEN team and our own engineering team to further enhance this capability.

Please refer back to the official documentation and TIDs for updates and the most up-to-date information and advice.

GroupWise 8 Interoperability Guide >

Dean

================

Editor's Note: When it comes to Windows 7 Migration projects, ZENworks can be your new best friend. Check it out.